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Peanut Butter Cream Cheese

Written on August 31, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

Last week I made another loaf of almond flour banana bread. It didn’t have any chocolate chips or walnuts or Nutella swirls so it definitely needed something to make it more decadent.

I was reminded of when I made a chubby hubby cheesecake last month and finally shared the recipe with the people I served it to: “You mean my whole family has been fighting over peanut butter and cream cheese?” Hey,what can I say? It’s a winning combination.

You can easily adjust the sweetness by adding more or less honey. I like it when it’s not too sweet so that you still taste the slight tartness of the cream cheese. Add a sprinkling of raw sugar for a little bit of crunch.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup peanut butter*
2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon(optional)

*If you’re using no-stir peanut butter, be sure to soften it in the microwave quickly before mixing.

Method:

Mix together all of the ingredients.
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator when not using. Let it soften at room temperature briefly before spreading because the cream cheese will harden when chilled.

I think I need to stock up on gluten-free bagels because this is too good not to eat every morning. It’s creamy and nutty—the perfect combination of the best two breakfast spreads.

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Readers’ Favorite Brownies

Written on August 24, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

The best recipes on food blogs are always the ones filled with comments from readers who loved it as well. I’m lucky to say this is one of those recipes.

A lot of readers have stumbled onto my almond flour brownie recipe through google or Pinterest or word of mouth and I get excited every time another person has said they tried them and loved them. I(and most of you) think they really are that good.

What makes this brownie recipe great is that it doesn’t taste “special”; you couldn’t eat these and tell that they’re made with almond flour or are gluten-free at all. They just taste like a really good, fudgy brownie recipe.

One of my secrets to good brownies is using melted baking chocolate instead of melted chocolate chips in the batter; it’s more reliable for even, smooth melting and has a more decadent chocolate flavor. Another is adding a little bit of coffee into batter just to perk up the flavor.

We had a party a couple weeks ago so I jumped at the chance to make these for the first time in ages, partly because I wanted to take new photos of them but partly because I was just craving brownies. There weren’t any leftovers and I was kicking myself for not making more.

My favorite brownies? They’re actually grasshopper brownies, but I will happily “settle” for these any day. Just be sure to double the batch, especially if you’re expecting company. Oh, and bring ice cream. And caramel sauce.

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Coconut Almond Granola

Written on August 17, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

I’m not sure how I’d live if I were allergic to nuts. Peanuts, coconuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios—all of them; they’ve become a staple in my diet without gluten or meat. And don’t even get me started on all of the amazing things you can bake with almond flour…

Thankfully, I’m not, so I can go on making granola chockfull of all sorts of nuts packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats. I’m not one to always use coconut oil(mostly because of the price), but I love how aromatic it is when I do. You can smell all the flavors in this granola as it bakes, from the earthy cinnamon and vanilla to the fruity coconut.

Toasting the nuts adds a much more vibrant flavor to them. The easiest way to do this is in a large frying pan over low to medium heat. It’s easier and more consistent than throwing the nuts into the oven; just be sure to pay close attention to them as they will burn quickly.

Coconut Almond Granola

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 3 cups):

2 1/4 cups gluten-free oats
1/3 cup liquid sweetener
2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup chocolate chips(optional)
1/4 cup dried cherries(optional)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the oats, sweetener, coconut oil, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl.
Lay the oats out in a 1/2-inch thick layer on a lined baking tray.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, breaking up the oats every 10 minutes or so, until they’re toasted and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.
While the granola is baking, toast the coconut and almonds together in a large frying pan. Make sure to stop once they’re aromatic and golden and take care not to burn them.
Toss the toasted coconut and almonds in with the granola. Toss in the cherries and chocolate chips as well if using, but make sure that the granola and nuts are completely cool before adding in the chocolate chips or else they’ll melt on touch.
Store in an air-tight container for up to 2-3 weeks

I said that the cherries and chocolate chips were optional but… they’re really not optional; you’re only cheating yourself if you leave them out. Between the rich toasted nuts and sweet fruit and chocolate, I’m always going back for more.

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Copycat Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Larabars

Written on August 13, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Snack

When you’re a food blogger, you end up having some pretty weird “snacks”. Leftover cheesecake in the afternoon? Sure. Chocolate granola for lunch and dinner some times. Anything goes.

That’s all great and delicious but there are times when I wish I ate a little bit healthier. Of course, the answer’s simple; if you want to eat healthy you need to buy and make healthy meals and snacks. So to start I made one of my favorites: peanut butter chocolate chip larabars.

Most pre-portioned snacks at the grocery store are overpriced; they’re even pricier if you get them from kiosks or snack stands. By making your own, you control the costs and quality of the ingredients. Larabars have pretty clean and simple ingredients as is, but by buying dates and using other ingredients I already had I was able to bring the cost down.

You could make your own and use almonds instead of peanuts to adapt these for someone with a peanut allergy.

Copycat Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Larabars

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 6 bars):

8oz pitted dates
1/2 cup peanuts
2 Tablespoons peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Method:

Combine the dates and peanuts in a food processor and blend on high until the ingredients start to form a paste.
Add in the peanut butter and salt and continue blending until a dough begins to form.
Lastly, add in the chocolate chips and pulse a few times.
Line a loaf or baking pan with plastic wrap.
Drop the dough on top of the plastic wrap and press the dough into a square or rectangle about 3/4-inch thick.
Cut into bars or squares. Wrap individually and refrigerate until ready to eat.

I left mine in squares. You could make bars or balls or really any shape you could think of with these.

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Honey Ginger Ice Cream

Written on August 10, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I can’t believe it took me almost a month and a half this Summer to break out my ice cream maker. Even though it doesn’t get as much use as most of my other kitchen appliances, it’s definitely my favorite. How can you not love anything that takes milk and spits out ice cream?

There’s a great ice cream parlor near the house I stay at in Maine that makes their own fun flavors. I made it there once this Summer before being reminded that full-fat dairy ice cream really doesn’t agree with me. Womp womp. I hear they have great ginger ice cream so I thought I’d make my own.

This ice cream has fresh and dried ginger for a strong punch of flavor. I always think of ginger and honey going together in recipes so it seemed like a good flavor to introduce here. If you’re vegan or don’t want to include it, you can easily swap it out for another 1/4 cup of sweetener.

Honey Ginger Ice Cream

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 6-8 servings):

1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup sugar
2 15oz cans of coconut milk
2 Tablespoons shaved fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon ginger powder

Method:

In a large bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until the sugar has dissolved.
Pour the base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.
Move the freshly frozen ice cream into an airtight container and let it harden in the freezer for a couple of hours to chill completely.
Before serving, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to soften.

For an extra touch of flavor you can add some lemon zest into the base; I was a little worried that the three together might be overwhelming and hard to distinguish but now I’m dying to try it.

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Cherry Coconut Pavlova

Written on August 8, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I’ve never heard the word “pavlova” more than in the past month. It’s not a dessert that gets a lot of attention, but for some reason I’ve been seeing it everywhere: At parties we’ve gone to, on the Food Network, and even on one of my favorite blogs. Since it’s a naturally gluten-free dessert, I wanted to get in on the action and make my own.

The only part of the recipe that really ever changes is the base; everyone seems to make their meringue different. I like using powdered sugar for a sweeter and pure white meringue, with a little bit of cream of tartar to help it stay up. I also choose to let it “cook” overnight in a hot oven to get the best texture. When it’s done, the outside should be hard and crispy while the inside meringue is soft like a marshmallow.

The fun thing about this dessert is you can dress the meringue any way. Whip regular cream instead of coconut milk for a more traditional dessert. You can serve it with any fresh fruit that’s on hand or even use a fruit sauce.

Cherry Coconut Pavlova

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 12 hours(overnight)

Ingredients(Makes 3-4 servings):

2 egg whites
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup coconut cream*
1/2 cup pitted and halved cherries

*To get coconut cream, leave a can of full-fat coconut milk undisturbed in the pantry for a few days. Open it without shaking the can. The cream will be separated on the top from the coconut water, a clear liquid that you can save and use as a sports drink.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Whip the egg whites in a glass bowl slowly adding the powdered sugar and cream of tartar until it forms soft peaks.
Pour the meringue in a mound on a non-stick baking tray. Swirl a utensil on the top of the meringue for an artful effect.
Put the meringue in the oven and immediately turn off the oven. Do not open the oven door. Let the meringue sit undisturbed in the hot oven overnight.
When the meringue is ready, whip the coconut milk in a chilled glass bowl until it forms stiff peaks.
Spread the whipped coconut milk on top of the meringue and garnish with the cherry halves. Serve immediately.

This dessert definitely stops being pretty once you cut into it. That’s ok; it’s delicious enough that no one will notice. The best bites are the ones where you get a little of everything: The sweet meringue, the rich topping, and the tart cherries.

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A First Attempt At Fudge

Written on August 6, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert, Uncategorized

Fudge is one of my favorite desserts. I’ve made chocolate fudge plenty of times and even a few batches of peanut butter; I try to convince myself that the easy, no-fuss microwave method of making it is just as good as any other.

That’s just not true.

Occasionally I go to a small beach town in Maine and the coast is lined with candy shops. Beyond the salt water taffy and chocolate covered gummy bears, they no doubt have homemade fudge there. And you can bet it’s not the kind that’s made in the microwave. My favorite to get is the penuche because the flavor is so pure and simple and yet complex in its own right.

I got a candy thermometer for Christmas last year thinking that would get me to try all the recipes I’ve bookmarked but never had the chance to make. Well, it took me a good 7 months to finally use it; better late than never I guess.

I searched and searched for a promising penuche fudge recipe and landed on Martha Stewart’s. It got off to a bad start when I realized it called for a 5oz can of evaporated milk and not the 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk I had. Oops. To compensate I made a last minute switch and used the condensed milk with 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar and 4oz of butter.

I’m pretty sure my stove runs hot because as soon as I put it on it started boiling and the temperature went up and up and up. I took the pan off the heat and kept stirring and tried to get it to heat up slowly, but by then it looked like it had burned a little.

I stirred for about 10-15 minutes and then combined it with the powdered sugar and vanilla. I was more than anxious to see if it would be too hard or too soft or too oily or too dry. I held my breath and put the loaf pan in my refrigerator to cool.

Impatiently, I took the pan out before it’d cooled all the way. Instead of a brick of taffy, I was surprised to find fudge, real fudge. The kind with layers and crackling sugar and a sweet smell to it.

I bit in. The flavor wasn’t quite penuche; it’s a little more complicated and something I can’t put my finger on. Brown butter fudge? Salted caramel fudge? I don’t know. It’s good, though. And with a little time and a lot of practice I’d make it again.

Here’s a link to the recipe again. If you’re daring(or just good with candy thermometers), I’d recommend giving it a go. And if you’re intimidated by any other cooking technique, I’d recommend giving it a go, too. What’s the worst that could happen?…

Just keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

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Coconut Flour Cupcake Recipes

Written on August 3, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert, Recipe Round-Up

Back in January I finally found a use for the coconut flour that had just been sitting around in my pantry for months; it made the perfect cupcakes. Before then, I’d used some gluten-free baking blends with varying success, but they were never quite as good as “regular” cupcakes. Coconut flour, on the other hand, creates cupcakes that are light and fluffy without any odd starchy flavor. You’d never know they’re gluten-free if you didn’t bake them yourself.

Last month we celebrated several birthdays in my family so I figured it was a chance to revisit these cupcake recipes and taking fresher pictures. I ended up modifying the chocolate cupcake recipe slightly to make them richer and was definitely happy with how they turned out.

These paleo chocolate cupcakes get their depth not from coconut flour but coconut milk. Even without oil or melted chocolate, they stay moist and rich. You can easily perk up the flavor with half a tablespoon of instant coffee granules.

The vanilla paleo cupcakes are simple and sweet. Surprisingly, the coconut ingredients don’t overwhelm the vanilla flavor at all. They’re a perfect canvas for any flavor frosting you can dream up.

The frosting I use with these cupcakes are just your basic buttercreams. Nothing fancy or paleo; just sugar, butter, melted chocolate, and vanilla. I love the frosting tip set I bought myself a few months ago but I still feel like I need a lot more practice to make them look decent. Does anyone have an August birthday? I’ll bring the cupcakes.

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Chubby Hubby Cheesecake

Written on August 1, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Cheesecake is kind of a magical food. It’s hard to not love a good cheesecake. It’s sweet and tangy and rich and creamy all at the same time; it’s pretty much the perfect dessert.

I don’t think I’ve ever had Chubby Hubby ice cream(Phish Food is by far my favorite Ben & Jerry’s flavor), but anything with peanut butter, pretzels, and chocolate has to be good. And that’s exactly what this cheesecake is: A slightly salty pretzel crust with a rich peanut butter cheesecake filling and a sweet chocolate ganache. Ben and Jerry would definitely be proud.

The best thing about this recipe is that it’s no-bake(because, really, who wants to bake at all mid-Summer?). Because of that, the filling isn’t as light and airy as a cheesecake with eggs would be. You could use full-fat cream cheese in this recipe but it gets more than enough richness from the peanut butter.

Chubby Hubby Cheesecake

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients

For the crust:

6oz pretzels(about 2 cups)*
1 stick butter, melted
6 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 cup liquid sweetener(agave, maple syrup, or corn syrup)
1-3 Tablespoons water

For the filling:

2 8oz blocks Neufchatel or low-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup no-stir peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the ganache:

1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons cream or milk
1 Tablespoon liquid sweetener(agave, maple syrup, or corn syrup)

*To make this cheesecake gluten-free, use gluten-free pretzels. I like Snyder’s of Hanover’s pretzel sticks.

Method:

Pulse the pretzels in a food processor until the crumbs form a coarse flour.
Add in the melted butter, powdered sugar, and sweetener and mix.
Slowly add in water until the dough starts to stick to itself. You may not need any water or you may need up to a few tablespoons.
Press the pretzel dough into the bottom of a cake pan firmly and work it into an even layer.
In a separate bowl, mix together all of the filling ingredients on high until the filling is uniform in color and texture.
Pour the filling on top of the pretzel crust and spread it out in an even layer. Put the cheesecake in the refrigerator until the center sets.
While the cheesecake is chilling, melt the chocolate for the ganache in a microwave or over a double boiler.
Whisk in the cream and sweetener.
Let the ganache cool slightly until it’s about the same consistency as a buttercream frosting. Scoop the chocolate into a frosting bag or Ziploc bag with a corner cut out and drizzle it on top of the chilled cheesecake.
Store in a refrigerator. Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

Next time I make this I might double the filling so that it’d be about as thick as the Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes that have about enough calories to feed a small family for a week. Gluten-free or not, everyone deserves that in their life from time to time.

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Cherry Basil Quinoa

Written on July 30, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

One cherry recipe and now another; if you can’t tell I bought a couple pounds of cherries last weekend and had to find ways to eat them. Now that they’re gone, I’m tempted to get more and see what comes out of it.

The great thing about fruits in the Summer is that you don’t really need to do anything to them. I thought about roasting the cherries before adding them in with quinoa(which you certainly can do), but the light and tangy flavors of fresh cherries mixed with herbs and seasoning didn’t need anything more.

Quinoa’s one of my favorite grains and a pantry-staple in my house. If you’re out of quinoa and still want to try this, you could use couscous or a short-grain rice like Arborio. You could roast the cherries before mixing them in for a different flavor, but when they’re this fresh I think they’re even better as is.

Cherry Basil Quinoa

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4-6 servings):

1 1/2 cups dry quinoa, washed and rinsed
3 cups water*
3/4 cup pitted and halved cherries
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Small handful of basil, roughly chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

*This is the average amount of water I use for cooking quinoa. If you have a different method or the brand you use recommends more or less, by all means you can adjust this.

Method:

Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a pot and put on the lid.
Turn the burner off and leave the quinoa undisturbed for 15-20 minutes until the water is entirely absorbed.
Toss in the cherries, olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper and mix. Transfer from a pot to a serving dish.
Serve hot or cold. Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Who knew simple could be so good? You can add some beans into the mix or add crushed pistachios or almonds on top to make this more of an entrée.

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